Two Openings

May 2014

TWO OF ISTANBUL’S DISTINCTIVE ARCHITECTURAL MONUMENTS, THE ISTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS AND ORTAKÖY MOSQUE, ARE REOPENING IN MAY FOLLOWING A PROCESS OF RESTORATION.

İki Açılış

Known as Ortaköy Mosque in common parlance, the Great Mejidiye Mosque, which is named for its builder, Sultan Abdulmejid, is a Bosphorus landmark. The calligraphic inscriptions on the mosque, construction of which was commissioned to the prominent 19th century architect, Nigoğos Balyan, were personally executed by the Sultan.

A MEMENTO OF OSMAN HAMDİ BEYThe neoclassical-style building of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums was commissioned to architect Alexander Vallaury during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II. The artifacts unearthed in the excavations undertaken by Osman Hamdi Bey make up an important part of the museum collections. The sections whose restoration is complete will open to visitors this month.

A SENSITIVE, SCIENTIFIC PROJECTThe restoration of both the Ortaköy Great Mejidiye Mosque and the Istanbul Archaeological Museums was carried out with contributions from the Gürsoy Foundation. The work was meticulously executed by a professional team, headed by trained architect and restoration specialist, Nilgün Olgun, who is one of the foundation’s administrators.